Kyoto Prefectural Police confirmed with NHK News on Thursday that it has confirmed "multiple deaths" during the fire due to arson that broke out at Kyoto Animation's 1st Studio building earlier today. The police have not stated the exact number of deaths.

Kyoto Prefectural Police have apprehended a man who supposedly used gasoline to start the fire. According to a report by The Kyoto Shimbun newspaper, nearby residents heard an explosion on the first floor of the building. NHK also quoted a man who supposedly heard an explosion in the building at around 10:30 a.m. JST, after which a fire erupted in the building's second and third floor.

The suspect later admitted to starting the fire.

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2019-07-17/kyoto-police-multiple-deaths-confirmed-in-kyoto-animation-fire/.149101

Live Japan https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190718/k10011996791000.html

Update: The confirmed dead is 34 people at this time and some of the rescued still gravely injured in the hospital.

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-07-18/fire-department-33-people-confirmed-dead-in-kyoto-animation-fire/.149102

Update 19/07 : Revenge May Have Been Motive for Kyoto Animation Arson Attack; Suspect Named

On Friday afternoon the police named the suspected attacker as Shinji Aoba, of no known occupation, who is in custody. Earlier, public broadcaster NHK, citing unnamed sources, described the man, 41, as having had mental health issues and a recent criminal record, including a convenience-store robbery in 2012, for which he received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Investigative sources quoted by Japan’s Jiji Press said Friday that the suspected arsonist held a grudge against the studio. “Since [the studio] stole my novel, I poured out the liquid and set it ablaze,” the man is reported to have said.

Police have not yet formally begun questioning Aoba, who was arrested barely 100 yards from the studio and who was burned in the fire. The injuries to his limbs and chest are too severe, reports said. Police plan to question him once he sufficiently recovers.

Source: https://variety.com/2019/film/news/revenge-motive-possibly-sparked-kyoto-animation-arson-attack-1203272796/

---

UPDATE 25/07 IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE VICTIMS AND THE COMPANY DIRECTLY Kyoto Animation Officially Starts Accepting Direct Donations

Sentai Filmworks is also taking donations for the cause https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kyoani-heal

---

Update 29/07

Kyoto Animation Issues Statement

An unprecedented atrocity has robbed many of our friends and colleagues of their bright futures and has left many deeply injured.
News from all over the world tells us that amazingly many number of people has sent us their hearts and prayers, which are like candles in the darkness, for those of us trapped in the darkness of deepest grief.
There are many friends and colleagues who are hospitalized and suffering, fighting for their lives.
Please give us some time.
We promise that Kyoto Animation will continue to create animation that help people have dreams, hope and impress them.
Kyoto Animation will continue to make its employees and staff lead happy lives, and contribute to society and local community.
I assure you that Kyoto Animation will not give up, we will not go quietly into the night...we will not vanish without a fight!

Kyoto Animation Co. CEO Hideaki Hatta

In an interview for the mass media on July 20, Kyoto Animation president Hideaki Hatta stated that after the fire, he is considering demolishing the building and creating a public park at the spot of the fire that will include a monument. He added, "when I consider the staff and the people in this neighborhood, there are people who don't want to see such a gruesome sight." Hatta is also considering hosting a memorial ceremony for the victims.

He also told the press that all the messages of support from around the world are "becoming our emotional support."

Source

---

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga States Japan's Gov't is Considering Support Measures for Kyoto Animation

Japan's national news agency NHK reported on Monday that Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga stated that the Japanese government is considering support measures for Kyoto Animation after the July 18 fire at Kyoto Animation's 1st Studio building that killed 35 people and injured 33 others.

Suga stated at a press conference on Monday that a nonpartisan, all-party diet group has proposed support measures for the victims and the company. The proposal includes suggestions of tax breaks for donations, and providing support for animator training.

Suga stated at the press conference about the proposal that he is considering concrete support measures, but first wants to assess the situation with the relevant government agencies before discussing measures such as compensation to those who died or were injured, or rebuilding management.

Source

---

Digital Data Recovered!

News outlets reported on Monday that art and other materials have been recovered from a data server located on the first floor of Kyoto Animation's 1st Studio building. Daisuke Okeda, the lawyer Kyoto Animation has hired to provide communications to the public about the fire, confirmed that all the data on the server has been recovered without damage.

The server was isolated in a separate room completely surrounded by concrete on the building's first floor. The room was apart from the staircase area in which a 41-year-old man allegedly started a fire on July 18. Therefore, the server was protected from the fire and also from water used in firefighting efforts.

Full report and source ANN

last edited at Jul 29, 2019 2:15PM

Whoa.

What the actual fuck? What could possibly compel someone to do this? My condolences to the families of the victims.

Well, that's just depressing.

AnAsianBrony posted:

What could possibly compel someone to do this?

Maybe they were jealous of their animation quality? Or just next mentally unstable person.

What could possibly compel someone to do this?

Because Yuri Baiting needs to be stopped. s̶̶o̶̶r̶̶r̶̶y̶

Nah but seriously this is fucked up...

I couldn't sleep, I Was browsing A for reports (as sick as it can be to read some replies, it gets updates from everywhere) and apparently the guy claims that Kyoani stole his idea/work http://boards.4channel.org/a/thread/190729854#p190744232 "I Was ripped off" and "you stole" was stuff he allegedly said.

Yea, was thinking he was rejected or something. So it was personal after all.

If they found a suspect then it was personal by default. The scariest types of arson are those without personal reasons. Psychopaths without any motive are the ones that are the hardest to catch.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 9:19AM

Sixteen people died with another 10 in cardio pulmonary arrest which means their hearts stopped. Expect to hear about some crippling brain injuries among the survivors. This is beyond fucked.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 5:05AM

Apparently "cardio pulmonary arrest" means "dead but pending formalities". Horrifying.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 5:12AM

My condolences to the victims and their families.

last edited at Jul 21, 2019 5:00AM

There are those who arson neither because of personal reasons nor because they're psychopaths, but are simply using arson as a distraction tactic within a bigger plan. Just look at [Julie d'Aubigny]

Thanks for that pointless tidbit. We are talking about actual arson cases here, not distractions. That's like saying bomb attacks can also be distractions. Anything can be a distraction. Going into a shopping mall and shooting everyone there can be a distraction.

This is horrible. I'd just like to take a moment to remind everyone that the early hours after a tragedy like this is when innuendo and misinformation are most likely to spread. Please consider skepticism over all but the most trusted news sources. Stay safe out there.

Sentai have a GoFundMe going on if anyone feels like donating for that. There's also options like buying digital merch directly or simply binging the legal streams of their shows.

Someone on Reddit made a list of the missing, though it might be out of date by now, as it was posted 4 hours ago:

Ishihara Tatsuya Director
AIR・Suzumiya Haruhi series・Kannon・Nichijou
CLANNAD・Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions・Sound! Euphonium

Ishidate Taichi Director
Kyoukai no Kanata・Violet Evergarden

Takemoto Yasuhiro Director
Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon・The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

Kawanami Eisaku Director
Free!-Timeless Medley-・Free!-Dive to the Future-

Nishiya Futoshi Animation director
A Silent Voice・Liz and the Blue Bird
Nichijou・HYOUKA Character Design

Kadowaki Miku Animation director
Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon・Tsurune・Kyoukai no Kanata Character Design

^A post on MAL forums has the first two listed as confirmed safe, referencing a twitter post.

^A post on MAL forums has the first two listed as confirmed safe, referencing a twitter post.

Ishidate Taichi should have been a honorable guest on Animagic 2019 (one of Germany's bigger Anime/Manga Events) at the beginning of August... I wonder if he's still coming. I'll hope he's ok and the others who are injured get well soon.

using arson as a distraction tactic within a bigger plan.

What the fuck are you talking about? The arsonist used the fire to distract from his secret plan to steal their files or something? The building was on fire for 5 hours. People are dead. No need to make this into some kind of ridiculous conspiracy with no evidence whatsoever.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-49027178 26 confirmed dead so far..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-49026944

This sucks :( It would be as bad anywhere but kyoani are one of the best studios going- what a senseless loss.. how many people have died here responsible for shows we love?

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 9:49AM

using arson as a distraction tactic within a bigger plan.

What the fuck are you talking about? The arsonist used the fire to distract from his secret plan to steal their files or something? The building was on fire for 5 hours. People are dead. No need to make this into some kind of ridiculous conspiracy with no evidence whatsoever.

Didn't I already say that what followed the first sentence of my post was off-topic. Weirdly, I'm wired to do real-time word association, and in this case the word in question was arson.

I've said it before. If you know it's going to be off-topic, don't.

Given the seriousness of this topic, it's highly inappropriate. I'm giving you a day ban so you can go do your word association somewhere else.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 11:00AM

We ain't never getting Dragon Maid season 2 now.

That was the only anime I cared for in the last five years. Too bad.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 11:00AM

So many missing too :(

I won't edit the main topic without solid sources, even now I'm seeing multiple sources reporting the reasons this monster used as excuse but I'll wait for the police report or Kyotoanimation official statement and that could take some time, however, the reason at this point ... It doesn't matter, this monster was sick to do something so macabre.

I woke up trying to imagine it was just dream but is a reality and is not over yet for the victims, and to respect their tragedy I don't think is proper to go and say "What's gonna happen now?" because no one knows at this point.

I hope the they can rest in peace.

Please consider skepticism over all but the most trusted news sources. Stay safe out there.

Trusted news sources? That's a good one. Yeah, anyway I heard that the arsonist was simply someone who sent them a manuscript, got rejected and saw "something" in one of their animes that thought it was his idea.

I hope they eventually recover from this.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 11:59AM

KyoAni is over, they're probably gonna get sued because building lacking emergency exit, fire safety.

last edited at Jul 18, 2019 1:46PM